Tesla has reportedly canceled orders for the Model 3 Performance in Australia shortly after the sales launch of the facelifted Model 3 in the country. Numerous prospective owners of the high-performance variant have expressed their dismay on the Tesla Owners Australia Facebook group, sharing messages from Tesla stating that their Model 3 Performance orders could not be fulfilled at this time.
“Unfortunately, Performance is not currently available, and we are unable to complete your Model 3 order,” reads one of the messages from Tesla, as shared on the group and reported by Car Expert.
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Tesla has offered affected customers an alternative in the form of “priority matching,” allowing them to choose from other Tesla models. While the larger Model Y Performance seems the most obvious alternative, customers can also opt for the facelifted Model 3 Rear-Wheel Drive (RWD) or Long Range variants. Another option available to customers is to select a pre-update Model 3 Performance from Tesla’s existing inventory.
The cancellation of vehicle orders is undoubtedly a frustrating experience for customers, but it has also raised questions about the future of the Model 3 Performance in Australia. Two possible scenarios emerge from this situation. First, Tesla may intend to reintroduce the Model 3 Performance at a later date, following the launch of the updated Model 3 RWD and Long Range variants. Alternatively, the Model 3 Performance could face discontinuation in the Australian market.
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Should the latter scenario prove true, the new Model 3 Long Range could serve as a reasonable substitute. Although slightly slower in its 0-62 mph acceleration time (4.4 seconds) compared to the Model 3 Performance (3.3 seconds), it still offers impressive performance.
For now, prospective buyers are left in suspense, as the Model 3 Performance is conspicuously absent from Tesla’s online configurator in some countries where the updated Model 3 has been launched. While this absence doesn’t definitively rule out the possibility of a future launch, it also raises questions about whether the Model 3 Performance will ever return to the market. The uncertainty leaves customers eagerly awaiting clarification from Tesla regarding its plans for the high-performance variant.
